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High Stakes #3
Beginner's Bet
Ellison Gamble owns the most successful luxury real estate firm in Boston, but the accomplishment feels hollow when she comes home to an empty house.
Institutionalizing her mother for her own safety was the hardest thing Katie Crawford has ever done. The costs are becoming more than she can manage, and her only solution is to sell her childhood home that has fallen into disrepair.
After a tense first interaction with Katie, Ellison eventually finds herself in an unlikely friendship and makes a risky offer to help Katie sell her mother’s home. Katie will do anything to help her mom, but being attracted to a woman for the first time was not in the plan.
Will the risks they take be worth the reward? Or have they wagered on a losing bet?
Institutionalizing her mother for her own safety was the hardest thing Katie Crawford has ever done. The costs are becoming more than she can manage, and her only solution is to sell her childhood home that has fallen into disrepair.
After a tense first interaction with Katie, Ellison eventually finds herself in an unlikely friendship and makes a risky offer to help Katie sell her mother’s home. Katie will do anything to help her mom, but being attracted to a woman for the first time was not in the plan.
Will the risks they take be worth the reward? Or have they wagered on a losing bet?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2021
24 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Riley
19 books343 followersFiona Riley was born and raised in New England where she is a medical professional and part-time professor when she isn’t bonding with her laptop over words. She went to college in Boston and never left, starting a small business that takes up all of her free time, much to the dismay of her ever patient and lovely wife. When she pulls herself away from her work, she likes to catch up on the contents of her ever-growing DVR or take a walk with her dog.
Fiona’s love for writing started at a young age and blossomed after she was published in a poetry competition at the ripe old age of twelve. She wrote lots of short stories and poetry for many years until it was time for college and a “real job.” Fiona found herself with a bachelor’s, a doctorate, and a day job, but felt like she had stopped nurturing the one relationship that had always made her feel the most complete: artist, dreamer, writer. A series of bizarre events afforded her with some unexpected extra time and she found herself reaching for her favorite blue notebook to write, never looking back.
Fiona’s love for writing started at a young age and blossomed after she was published in a poetry competition at the ripe old age of twelve. She wrote lots of short stories and poetry for many years until it was time for college and a “real job.” Fiona found herself with a bachelor’s, a doctorate, and a day job, but felt like she had stopped nurturing the one relationship that had always made her feel the most complete: artist, dreamer, writer. A series of bizarre events afforded her with some unexpected extra time and she found herself reaching for her favorite blue notebook to write, never looking back.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
August 18, 2021
Ellison.
The High Stakes series revolves around a realtor firm and this is its third and final book. It is also the best, in my opinion and I love this book to bits for one specific reason - Ellison.
Ellison is the perfect character and I fell for her instantly. This realtor boss is classy, mature and so put together. She's dependable and I love how she takes on the protector role in the relationship. Katie is lovable too but in a different way. They are exact opposites. She’s young and her life hasn’t been stable since her mother’s stroke. And although Ellison and Katie are so different, I love that none of that really matters to them and they fit like pieces in a puzzle and they complete each other. They meet at the lowest points in their life and the idea of them being together really grew on me.
There is one thing that Ellison wants more than falling in love and that is to have a child of her own. Ellison doesn't compromise on that. There is a whole storyline about this and it sort of runs in parallel with her love life and while I'm not personally thrilled by the timing of it, I think I understand why this is important to Ellison. But the main couple skirts around the issue for a long time and I wish they hadn’t.
This is a strong end to the series and it is my favourite out of the three. But before I end this review, I feel like I need to say that there was something that bothered me – that is Ellison having an ex turned best friend with occasional benefits. I honestly can’t wrap my head around it because I can't deal with a partner who still hangs out with someone this special even if cheating isn’t in the cards. It is weird to me but I get that it is my personal bias. It is not an issue because none of the characters make a big deal out of this and it doesn't take away the enjoyment I had from this book. It's really just me and I’m the only one still perturbed.
I know Riley has written other books apart from this series and I really need to check them out.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The High Stakes series revolves around a realtor firm and this is its third and final book. It is also the best, in my opinion and I love this book to bits for one specific reason - Ellison.
Ellison is the perfect character and I fell for her instantly. This realtor boss is classy, mature and so put together. She's dependable and I love how she takes on the protector role in the relationship. Katie is lovable too but in a different way. They are exact opposites. She’s young and her life hasn’t been stable since her mother’s stroke. And although Ellison and Katie are so different, I love that none of that really matters to them and they fit like pieces in a puzzle and they complete each other. They meet at the lowest points in their life and the idea of them being together really grew on me.
There is one thing that Ellison wants more than falling in love and that is to have a child of her own. Ellison doesn't compromise on that. There is a whole storyline about this and it sort of runs in parallel with her love life and while I'm not personally thrilled by the timing of it, I think I understand why this is important to Ellison. But the main couple skirts around the issue for a long time and I wish they hadn’t.
This is a strong end to the series and it is my favourite out of the three. But before I end this review, I feel like I need to say that there was something that bothered me – that is Ellison having an ex turned best friend with occasional benefits. I honestly can’t wrap my head around it because I can't deal with a partner who still hangs out with someone this special even if cheating isn’t in the cards. It is weird to me but I get that it is my personal bias. It is not an issue because none of the characters make a big deal out of this and it doesn't take away the enjoyment I had from this book. It's really just me and I’m the only one still perturbed.
I know Riley has written other books apart from this series and I really need to check them out.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2023
➥ 4.25 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
Thank you for buddy reading this one with me Amy 💗💕💘! Going into this one, I had my reservations because it just didn't seem like the book for me. There were two main aspects that worried me: 1) this is a toaster oven romance and 2) one of the characters is going through the difficulties of infertility. Neither of these were aspects that appealed to me or that I felt I would be able to identify with.
However, I actually found that these aspects didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. Usually with toaster ovens, the 'straight' fmc has a moment where she shows disgust and shock towards having feelings for another woman and it's all a drama I don't enjoy reading about, but it was not like that in this case at all. It was a warm, affectionate realisation on Katie's part, and she embraced it with endearing curiosity. The development of Katie (h) and Ellison's (h) relationship from close friends to lovers was so beautifully, tastefully done that I was shedding tears over the cuteness and tenderness of their relationship.
They actually make me so weak, both of them. In reading more and more of Riley's work, I've also come to realise that her particular area of excellency is friends/strangers-to-lovers. It's not a trope people seem go out of their way to seek, but Riley is just that good at writing it, even better than when she writes hate-to-love stories.
I love how Riley writes flirty, teasy romances that are unabashedly romantic, while also elegantly writing steam and moments of true emotional vulnerability and tenderness: love, really. I so often read books where I feel the author makes the sex scenes so serious and dramatic, so it's more than refreshing to know that I can pick up a Riley book when I'm looking for something playful yet hot. And sometimes it's just the little things that get to me...
I liked the stories behind each of the characters, and you can only imagine what Katie being a massage therapist means (Ellison gets a massage and it was 🥵😋). Ellison is a hyperfeminine business woman, who owns a beach house, and we see them both spend time there together. I noticed Riley also weaves in a nice dose of angst, which was done well here too, just like in her other books.
Riley's downfall continues to be her third-act conflicts. This one began during the last 15% and dragged on. I mean, it's just criminal for her to make you love two characters together so much and make you endure their separation 😣💔. I hold an extra grudge for not getting a sex scene once they got back together too.
The epilogue was cute though, and I loved how and ended up having little red-head babies. I just know they're such great moms.
I can't believe I postponed writing this review for so long, but what can I say, sometimes an author's aptitude at their craft leaves you temporarily speechless 🤭💘!
“Go inside. Talk about me with your friend. Just know I’ll be thinking about these lips of yours all night,” Ellison said, kissing her slowly.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
Thank you for buddy reading this one with me Amy 💗💕💘! Going into this one, I had my reservations because it just didn't seem like the book for me. There were two main aspects that worried me: 1) this is a toaster oven romance and 2) one of the characters is going through the difficulties of infertility. Neither of these were aspects that appealed to me or that I felt I would be able to identify with.
However, I actually found that these aspects didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. Usually with toaster ovens, the 'straight' fmc has a moment where she shows disgust and shock towards having feelings for another woman and it's all a drama I don't enjoy reading about, but it was not like that in this case at all. It was a warm, affectionate realisation on Katie's part, and she embraced it with endearing curiosity. The development of Katie (h) and Ellison's (h) relationship from close friends to lovers was so beautifully, tastefully done that I was shedding tears over the cuteness and tenderness of their relationship.
Ellison massaged Katie's lower back. "I can assure you only have eyes and hands" -she dipped down to give Katie's ass a gentle squeeze- "for you."
Katie reached up and ran her finger along Ellison's lower lip as she asked, "And what about this mouth?"
Ellison's lips parted, and her tongue swiped against Katie's finger before disappearing behind her sexy smile. "All yours."
They actually make me so weak, both of them. In reading more and more of Riley's work, I've also come to realise that her particular area of excellency is friends/strangers-to-lovers. It's not a trope people seem go out of their way to seek, but Riley is just that good at writing it, even better than when she writes hate-to-love stories.
I love how Riley writes flirty, teasy romances that are unabashedly romantic, while also elegantly writing steam and moments of true emotional vulnerability and tenderness: love, really. I so often read books where I feel the author makes the sex scenes so serious and dramatic, so it's more than refreshing to know that I can pick up a Riley book when I'm looking for something playful yet hot. And sometimes it's just the little things that get to me...
“Katie held out her hand for Ellison to take it as she sipped her wine.”
I liked the stories behind each of the characters, and you can only imagine what Katie being a massage therapist means (Ellison gets a massage and it was 🥵😋). Ellison is a hyperfeminine business woman, who owns a beach house, and we see them both spend time there together. I noticed Riley also weaves in a nice dose of angst, which was done well here too, just like in her other books.
Katie felt Ellison take whatever she had given her back. “Here,” she said, turning Katie’s chin in her direction. “Let me.”
Katie closed her eyes as Ellison wiped the tissue along her cheeks—collecting tears Katie had been too distracted to feel.
Riley's downfall continues to be her third-act conflicts. This one began during the last 15% and dragged on. I mean, it's just criminal for her to make you love two characters together so much and make you endure their separation 😣💔. I hold an extra grudge for not getting a sex scene once they got back together too.
The epilogue was cute though, and I loved how and ended up having little red-head babies. I just know they're such great moms.
I can't believe I postponed writing this review for so long, but what can I say, sometimes an author's aptitude at their craft leaves you temporarily speechless 🤭💘!
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
August 15, 2021
Beginner's Bet has quickly found itself on my favourite books of 2021 list! The writing was captivating and the characters were lovable and had amazing chemistry both platonic and romantic. This is definitely a heartwarming romance that you have to read!
5 stars! I absolutely loved this book. Fiona Riley is one of my favourite les fic writers and she did not disappoint with this book. I highly recommend not only this book but all of Riley's books. If you haven't read book one in this series or her Perfect Match series, you're missing out.
Beginner's Bet by Fiona Riley follows Ellison Gamble, who you may recognize from the previous two books in this series as the owner of the luxury real estate firm that the characters from those books work at, and Katie Crawford. Katie is a newly introduced character who's life turns upside down when her mother suffers a stroke. From the very first page I was hooked to this book.
The book starts off on a heartbreaking note for Ellison which I'm going to leave to you guys to find out as it feels a bit spoiler-y. Ellison had always been one of my favourite characters in this series so it's safe to say I've been waiting for this one for a while and not only did it live up to my expectations, it surpassed it. This book allowed me to fall more in love with Ellison's character. She's selfless, funny, romantic and just in all has a warm personality.
Something that I've always admired from Riley is her ability to make her character their own distinct beings. Particularly in this book, Riley does an amazing job at perpetuating just how flustered Katie feels. In this book Katie has a lot on her shoulders, which is ironic since a massage therapist may just be the most tense one in this book. Dealing with the decline of her mother's health and her bank account Katie is at a lost and does not know what to do... until her new friend mentions just how valuable her house might me.
Katie and Ellison may just be the most compatible characters I've ever seen. Something about them just clicked and it presented the cutest chemistry. The plot, though relatively uneventful, was perfect. Sometimes authors try too hard to make simple plots all extra and special but end up ruining everything else. Riley presents an interesting yet simple plot. There is conflict but it wasn't blown out of proportion, it was just... perfect. Guys I really do not know how to describe how much I enjoyed this story.
I highly recommend this book! More so for readers looking for a slow simple romance!
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC for a honest review!
5 stars! I absolutely loved this book. Fiona Riley is one of my favourite les fic writers and she did not disappoint with this book. I highly recommend not only this book but all of Riley's books. If you haven't read book one in this series or her Perfect Match series, you're missing out.
Beginner's Bet by Fiona Riley follows Ellison Gamble, who you may recognize from the previous two books in this series as the owner of the luxury real estate firm that the characters from those books work at, and Katie Crawford. Katie is a newly introduced character who's life turns upside down when her mother suffers a stroke. From the very first page I was hooked to this book.
The book starts off on a heartbreaking note for Ellison which I'm going to leave to you guys to find out as it feels a bit spoiler-y. Ellison had always been one of my favourite characters in this series so it's safe to say I've been waiting for this one for a while and not only did it live up to my expectations, it surpassed it. This book allowed me to fall more in love with Ellison's character. She's selfless, funny, romantic and just in all has a warm personality.
Something that I've always admired from Riley is her ability to make her character their own distinct beings. Particularly in this book, Riley does an amazing job at perpetuating just how flustered Katie feels. In this book Katie has a lot on her shoulders, which is ironic since a massage therapist may just be the most tense one in this book. Dealing with the decline of her mother's health and her bank account Katie is at a lost and does not know what to do... until her new friend mentions just how valuable her house might me.
Katie and Ellison may just be the most compatible characters I've ever seen. Something about them just clicked and it presented the cutest chemistry. The plot, though relatively uneventful, was perfect. Sometimes authors try too hard to make simple plots all extra and special but end up ruining everything else. Riley presents an interesting yet simple plot. There is conflict but it wasn't blown out of proportion, it was just... perfect. Guys I really do not know how to describe how much I enjoyed this story.
I highly recommend this book! More so for readers looking for a slow simple romance!
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC for a honest review!
September 10, 2021
4.5 Stars
“Beginner’s Bet” is the third book in the High Stakes series. It’s also easily my favorite. It’s a rich girl/poor girl, age-gap toaster oven romance that is sweet but with a lot of heart and substance.
Ellison Gamble is the owner of luxury real estate firm. Katie Crawford is a massage therapist in a spa that’s next to Ellison’s realty firm. They meet after a mix-up at the spa and form a quick and sweet friendship.
Ellison was introduced in the previous two books, “Bet Against Me” and “Bet the Farm.” She was my favorite in those so I was very happy to get to her story and for her to find her happy ending. She’s busy with her realty group and secretly trying to have a baby when she meets Katie. Katie is working as much as she can to pay for her mom’s care home. Her mother has recently had a debilitating stroke and needs constant care. It has taken all of Katie’s savings and she’s worried she only has a couple months left. Ellison comes up with a plan and over the course of the summer, the two grow close.
What I really loved was the budding relationship between the two of them. They got to know each other as friends and while it became more for Ellison, it wasn’t as straight forward for Katie. Katie has never been in a same sex relationship and can’t decide if Ellison is actually flirting with her or if she’s just a very nice woman. Spoiler alert, the answer is both. I liked how Riley took the time for them to get to know one another before things changed. That was something that was missing in the other two books so I liked that I really felt their emotional connection here.
My only complaint is the 85% dark moment. It really seemed to come out of nowhere and didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Especially considering that all of the issues would be worked out soon enough or maybe if the two sat down and talked about the issue. Also, that Ellison might’ve been too nice and generous and patient. She is basically the perfect person with no flaws, but that’s me just nitpicking but she was literally flawless!
Otherwise, I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it! I'm really looking forward to Jax's story in an upcoming novella.
*edited to add that I don’t think you need to read the others to read this. This is just fine as a stand-alone.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Beginner’s Bet” is the third book in the High Stakes series. It’s also easily my favorite. It’s a rich girl/poor girl, age-gap toaster oven romance that is sweet but with a lot of heart and substance.
Ellison Gamble is the owner of luxury real estate firm. Katie Crawford is a massage therapist in a spa that’s next to Ellison’s realty firm. They meet after a mix-up at the spa and form a quick and sweet friendship.
Ellison was introduced in the previous two books, “Bet Against Me” and “Bet the Farm.” She was my favorite in those so I was very happy to get to her story and for her to find her happy ending. She’s busy with her realty group and secretly trying to have a baby when she meets Katie. Katie is working as much as she can to pay for her mom’s care home. Her mother has recently had a debilitating stroke and needs constant care. It has taken all of Katie’s savings and she’s worried she only has a couple months left. Ellison comes up with a plan and over the course of the summer, the two grow close.
What I really loved was the budding relationship between the two of them. They got to know each other as friends and while it became more for Ellison, it wasn’t as straight forward for Katie. Katie has never been in a same sex relationship and can’t decide if Ellison is actually flirting with her or if she’s just a very nice woman. Spoiler alert, the answer is both. I liked how Riley took the time for them to get to know one another before things changed. That was something that was missing in the other two books so I liked that I really felt their emotional connection here.
My only complaint is the 85% dark moment. It really seemed to come out of nowhere and didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Especially considering that all of the issues would be worked out soon enough or maybe if the two sat down and talked about the issue. Also, that Ellison might’ve been too nice and generous and patient. She is basically the perfect person with no flaws, but that’s me just nitpicking but she was literally flawless!
Otherwise, I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it! I'm really looking forward to Jax's story in an upcoming novella.
*edited to add that I don’t think you need to read the others to read this. This is just fine as a stand-alone.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2021
This was a wonderful book to read. The two mains Ellison and Katie fit together perfectly and the flow was excellent with funny and interesting dialogues. This is the third and last book in a series, but I only read this book and had no problems reading it. If you’ve read the other books in the series, this will be the cherry on the cake, as several of the mains from the first two books make an appearance.
When I heard that one of the main story lines was about a baby wish I honestly wasn’t sure if this would be the best fit for me as I don’t connect to that at all, but the romance was done so expertly and the parts about Ellison’s struggles in life in getting her family and
children were clearly written from the heart. And for those who enjoy tropes, there are plenty present; a poor-rich trope, an age-gap, and a toaster oven romance.
I wouldn’t describe Katie and Ellison as opposites since their personalities are not that different, they both possess good social skills and are caring people, but still they were quite different as they are at completely different phases in their life. Ellison is in her early forties and has a successful career and while things are not going the way she wanted them to in her personal life, she has structure and stability. Katie on the other hand is in her late twenties and due to her mother needing expensive care, she is financially and emotionally struggling. When they meet though, their relation develops in such a natural way, even though Katie has never been in a same sex relationship, it’s really sweet and they just match perfectly.
They were some small things that didn’t work too well for me that I want to mention though. There was a communication issue, which seemed so silly because they generally had a very open and honest communication going on, so it felt out of place. The other thing is the ex turned best friend with occasional benefits. Yes, others have mentioned this as well, so I knew it was coming, and I thought I would have no problems with that (well, at least not in a book;)). But, it turns out that this raised several red flags for me when reading. At the start of the book I felt that the friends with benefits thing may actually have been one-sided and that Ellison was in love with Faith. I had trouble letting this go at start of the relationship between Ellison and Katie. I kept thinking will Ellison keep pining over Faith (as she did during a previous marriage)? Also, the fact that she did not discuss being ridiculously in love with Katie with her so called best friend seemed a bit weird. That’s what best friends are for right? From this, I again got the impression Faith was not a best friend, but still more someone in the romance/sex buddy category. Maybe it’s me, but it felt off.
This book deals with some difficult topics, but still felt relatively light and low on angst and I easily recommend this if you’re looking for a sweet romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I heard that one of the main story lines was about a baby wish I honestly wasn’t sure if this would be the best fit for me as I don’t connect to that at all, but the romance was done so expertly and the parts about Ellison’s struggles in life in getting her family and
children were clearly written from the heart. And for those who enjoy tropes, there are plenty present; a poor-rich trope, an age-gap, and a toaster oven romance.
I wouldn’t describe Katie and Ellison as opposites since their personalities are not that different, they both possess good social skills and are caring people, but still they were quite different as they are at completely different phases in their life. Ellison is in her early forties and has a successful career and while things are not going the way she wanted them to in her personal life, she has structure and stability. Katie on the other hand is in her late twenties and due to her mother needing expensive care, she is financially and emotionally struggling. When they meet though, their relation develops in such a natural way, even though Katie has never been in a same sex relationship, it’s really sweet and they just match perfectly.
They were some small things that didn’t work too well for me that I want to mention though. There was a communication issue, which seemed so silly because they generally had a very open and honest communication going on, so it felt out of place. The other thing is the ex turned best friend with occasional benefits. Yes, others have mentioned this as well, so I knew it was coming, and I thought I would have no problems with that (well, at least not in a book;)). But, it turns out that this raised several red flags for me when reading. At the start of the book I felt that the friends with benefits thing may actually have been one-sided and that Ellison was in love with Faith. I had trouble letting this go at start of the relationship between Ellison and Katie. I kept thinking will Ellison keep pining over Faith (as she did during a previous marriage)? Also, the fact that she did not discuss being ridiculously in love with Katie with her so called best friend seemed a bit weird. That’s what best friends are for right? From this, I again got the impression Faith was not a best friend, but still more someone in the romance/sex buddy category. Maybe it’s me, but it felt off.
This book deals with some difficult topics, but still felt relatively light and low on angst and I easily recommend this if you’re looking for a sweet romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2021
Since the start of this book series, I’ve been eager to read Ellison’s story who was always my favourite. She’s such an enigmatic character that I was looking forward to seeing her walls go down and let someone in her life.
Ellison Gamble is the owner of the most successful luxury real estate firm in Boston but despite all her money and success, she feels alone. Katie Crawford needs to sell her family’s dilapidated house to pay the increasing costs for her mother’s health care. When both women meet, an unlikely friendship starts and Ellison offers to help Katie sell her house but as an attraction grows, will they be willing to risk it all?
This is book 3 and last in the High Stakes series which started with Bet Against Me, followed by Bet the Farm. Even though this is a standalone novel, I recommend starting in book one as you’ll get a better idea of each character’s story and personality.
As I said before, Ellison is an intriguing character throughout the series and finally, the reader gets to know why. I’ll try to keep it vague to avoid spoilers but let me just say that apart from the romance, this book tells Ellison’s journey to motherhood. Ms. Riley tells in the acknowledgments how challenging was to write this story as Ellison’s desire to have a family overlapped with her own. As you can imagine, the character’s journey is emotional and taxing but brings new light to Ellison as a woman beyond her kickass business prowess. This book makes her more exposed, more vulnerable, more human. And it suits her completely.
This is an age gap, opposite attracts, coming out romance with a lot of heated moments, as it’s expected from Ms. Riley, aka “The Queen of Steam”. Apart from a considerable age difference, contrasting financial situations, sexual orientations at odds (Katie is allegedly straight), and disparate personalities, each character is in a completely different place in their lives with respect to relationships and family. I thought this was a smart plot choice as it sounded authentic and a potential source of conflict, as it would be in real life. Both leads embark on a journey of transformation in which they will be changed forever.
Beginner’s Bet is by far my favourite in this series, but the three books are equally worth a read. 4.5 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ellison Gamble is the owner of the most successful luxury real estate firm in Boston but despite all her money and success, she feels alone. Katie Crawford needs to sell her family’s dilapidated house to pay the increasing costs for her mother’s health care. When both women meet, an unlikely friendship starts and Ellison offers to help Katie sell her house but as an attraction grows, will they be willing to risk it all?
This is book 3 and last in the High Stakes series which started with Bet Against Me, followed by Bet the Farm. Even though this is a standalone novel, I recommend starting in book one as you’ll get a better idea of each character’s story and personality.
As I said before, Ellison is an intriguing character throughout the series and finally, the reader gets to know why. I’ll try to keep it vague to avoid spoilers but let me just say that apart from the romance, this book tells Ellison’s journey to motherhood. Ms. Riley tells in the acknowledgments how challenging was to write this story as Ellison’s desire to have a family overlapped with her own. As you can imagine, the character’s journey is emotional and taxing but brings new light to Ellison as a woman beyond her kickass business prowess. This book makes her more exposed, more vulnerable, more human. And it suits her completely.
This is an age gap, opposite attracts, coming out romance with a lot of heated moments, as it’s expected from Ms. Riley, aka “The Queen of Steam”. Apart from a considerable age difference, contrasting financial situations, sexual orientations at odds (Katie is allegedly straight), and disparate personalities, each character is in a completely different place in their lives with respect to relationships and family. I thought this was a smart plot choice as it sounded authentic and a potential source of conflict, as it would be in real life. Both leads embark on a journey of transformation in which they will be changed forever.
Beginner’s Bet is by far my favourite in this series, but the three books are equally worth a read. 4.5 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2022
Brilliant 💙
Beginner’s Bet turns out to be the best among the series, just as I expected since the background setting is one of my favorites…age-gap romance with an oven toaster written in… Or maybe it just has more to do with Ellison Gamble. I mean how can I, or anyone for that matter, not like Ellison? She is a successful business owner, in her early forties, grounded, smart, sophisticated, an Alpha, and has no qualms when it comes to starting a family. Oh…how I adore Ellison.
The dynamics between Ellison and Katie were great and the fact that Katie isn’t gay to begin with and isn’t the main focal point is refreshing. What really irks me is the basis for the break-up that eventually come knocking on the door. Thank goodness, Riley makes it up with a wonderful ending and an even better epilogue…
Verdict: A solid 5 for me 😊
Beginner’s Bet turns out to be the best among the series, just as I expected since the background setting is one of my favorites…age-gap romance with an oven toaster written in… Or maybe it just has more to do with Ellison Gamble. I mean how can I, or anyone for that matter, not like Ellison? She is a successful business owner, in her early forties, grounded, smart, sophisticated, an Alpha, and has no qualms when it comes to starting a family. Oh…how I adore Ellison.
The dynamics between Ellison and Katie were great and the fact that Katie isn’t gay to begin with and isn’t the main focal point is refreshing. What really irks me is the basis for the break-up that eventually come knocking on the door. Thank goodness, Riley makes it up with a wonderful ending and an even better epilogue…
Verdict: A solid 5 for me 😊
November 15, 2021
I loved this book. Will be adding this to my list of favorites. This series progressively got better with each of the three stories. You can read the one stand-a-lone but you would miss the opportunity of getting to know all of the wonderful characters and their individual love stories along the way.
This book really resonated with me and I have no idea why. I have never had a desire to have a baby or be a mother. And yet I was rooting for Ellison's steadfast passion to achieve her goal regardless of and despite all else. The conflict was real and I had trouble seeing how things could work out with Katie. But I was glad to have gone on the journey with these two lovely ladies.
I recommend this to anyone who likes to read about romance, lesbians, real-estate, massage therapy, friendship, family, dream homes, and shrimp scampi pizza.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
This book really resonated with me and I have no idea why. I have never had a desire to have a baby or be a mother. And yet I was rooting for Ellison's steadfast passion to achieve her goal regardless of and despite all else. The conflict was real and I had trouble seeing how things could work out with Katie. But I was glad to have gone on the journey with these two lovely ladies.
I recommend this to anyone who likes to read about romance, lesbians, real-estate, massage therapy, friendship, family, dream homes, and shrimp scampi pizza.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
October 11, 2021
The finale to the series had me holding an Elllison fan club placard. I'm not sure what else I can add that others have so eloquently reviewed already. I quite enjoyed Katie and Ellison as a couple, and I'd say the only reason it dropped a star is because of Ellison saving the day every....single.....time. It was a little much and her "taking care of things" felt somewhat heavy handed at times. That being said, she still remained humble and kind and never once flaunted the fact she had the means/wealth to do so. Even though Katie was a little bit of a train wreck at times, it wasn't for nothing, she had real issues to deal with and remained stoic and strong throughout. I do agree that the drama didn't need to happen at the 80% mark, it was abit of a stretch, but no matter. This was overall a very good series.
December 27, 2021
Ellison Gamble is now my new favourite in the High Stakes series. That heartbreaking opening got me in the feels from the get go and I wanted nothing more than for her to get her love and life story sorted. That first meeting between Katie and Ellison came at the right time for the both of them... and that ending, wow! Beautiful.
On another note, does anyone have an update on Jax and Talia? Did Jax make a move or what?!
On another note, does anyone have an update on Jax and Talia? Did Jax make a move or what?!
August 30, 2021
Beginner’s Bet is the third novel in the “High Stakes Romances” series by Fiona Riley. I loved the first two books in this series, but I think I love this one the best of all.
The series centers around a luxury real estate firm and the people who work there. Each book covers the romance of one of the employees. This book tells the story of the firm’s owner, Ellison Gamble and Katie Crawford, a young woman who has to sell her childhood home.
This book has everything I expect from a Fiona Riley contemporary romance. We have two vibrant and exceptionally likeable main characters that have a definite chemistry that only grows as they get to know each other. There is an age gap and a financial disparity that fuels the conflict in the plot. The sex scenes are quite steamy, exactly what I look for in a Fiona Riley romance. Since all three novels are set around the realty firm, we also get to reconnect with some of our favorite people in the first two books.
You could read this novel as a standalone if you wanted, but I would suggest that you read all three books in order. They are all fabulous stories with Beginner’s Bet being the best one yet.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
The series centers around a luxury real estate firm and the people who work there. Each book covers the romance of one of the employees. This book tells the story of the firm’s owner, Ellison Gamble and Katie Crawford, a young woman who has to sell her childhood home.
This book has everything I expect from a Fiona Riley contemporary romance. We have two vibrant and exceptionally likeable main characters that have a definite chemistry that only grows as they get to know each other. There is an age gap and a financial disparity that fuels the conflict in the plot. The sex scenes are quite steamy, exactly what I look for in a Fiona Riley romance. Since all three novels are set around the realty firm, we also get to reconnect with some of our favorite people in the first two books.
You could read this novel as a standalone if you wanted, but I would suggest that you read all three books in order. They are all fabulous stories with Beginner’s Bet being the best one yet.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
September 27, 2021
“Beginner’s Bet” is the third and final book in the High Stakes series. It’s a rich girl-poor girl, age-gap, toaster oven romance, and definitely a very sweet and enjoyable read. The main characters are absolutely lovable. It’s very, very easy to fall in love with both of them.
September 12, 2021
I’m on a bit of a roll with sweet, lovely romances at the moment.
This is the third and final book in the ‘Bet’ series and features my already favourite character from the previous two books, Ellison. While I enjoyed the first two, this was by far my favourite.
The MCs here are Ellison, head of Gamble Realty and boss of Trina and Lauren from books 1 and 2. Ellison is about to turn 43 and desperately wants to be a mother. She’s also enjoying a friends with benefits thing with her long time BFF, Faith. The other MC is Katie, a massage therapist who works at the spa located next to Ellison’s realestate office, and who has just had to move her mother into assisted care. The two meet due to a work mishap at the spa and form a sweet friendship.
They are both drawn to each other in a variety of ways, and the dialogue (and chemistry) between them sparkles. I loved all of their conversations and how they got to know each other. There’s also a bunch of great supporting characters, including Trina, Lauren and Jax from the previous books, as well as Faith and her niece Talia and Katie’s mother and BFF Shania. These characters are also delightfully diverse.
Ellison and Katie’s relationship unfolds over time, they talk to each other, and not just about superficial stuff, and I loved that although Katie had never been with a woman, or seemingly thought about it, there was no panic about it, she just recognised what she wanted and needed was what Ellison gave her and went with it (for the most part).
While I loved all of the different character interactions, the sweetness of the romance, and the overall tone, there were some flaws. This suffers from the ‘all things can be fixed by the rich MC or her vast array of friends’ trope. Katie is really struggling financially but luckily Ellison is able to offer a suggestion that will more than fix this. Ellison is also a near perfect saint who is beyond generous, so everything Katie needs at any point Ellison can provide. Both characters (actually pretty much all of the characters) are also supermodel gorgeous. There’s also manufactured drama at the 85% mark that came out of nowhere and was a little too contrived, but thankfully was also resolved fairly quickly.
Still, none of that was enough to detract from how delightful these characters were separately and together or how much I enjoyed their HEA. Fans of Riley will no doubt love this, and anyone who enjoys a good romance will be happy with what they find here. 4 stars.
This is the third and final book in the ‘Bet’ series and features my already favourite character from the previous two books, Ellison. While I enjoyed the first two, this was by far my favourite.
The MCs here are Ellison, head of Gamble Realty and boss of Trina and Lauren from books 1 and 2. Ellison is about to turn 43 and desperately wants to be a mother. She’s also enjoying a friends with benefits thing with her long time BFF, Faith. The other MC is Katie, a massage therapist who works at the spa located next to Ellison’s realestate office, and who has just had to move her mother into assisted care. The two meet due to a work mishap at the spa and form a sweet friendship.
They are both drawn to each other in a variety of ways, and the dialogue (and chemistry) between them sparkles. I loved all of their conversations and how they got to know each other. There’s also a bunch of great supporting characters, including Trina, Lauren and Jax from the previous books, as well as Faith and her niece Talia and Katie’s mother and BFF Shania. These characters are also delightfully diverse.
Ellison and Katie’s relationship unfolds over time, they talk to each other, and not just about superficial stuff, and I loved that although Katie had never been with a woman, or seemingly thought about it, there was no panic about it, she just recognised what she wanted and needed was what Ellison gave her and went with it (for the most part).
While I loved all of the different character interactions, the sweetness of the romance, and the overall tone, there were some flaws. This suffers from the ‘all things can be fixed by the rich MC or her vast array of friends’ trope. Katie is really struggling financially but luckily Ellison is able to offer a suggestion that will more than fix this. Ellison is also a near perfect saint who is beyond generous, so everything Katie needs at any point Ellison can provide. Both characters (actually pretty much all of the characters) are also supermodel gorgeous. There’s also manufactured drama at the 85% mark that came out of nowhere and was a little too contrived, but thankfully was also resolved fairly quickly.
Still, none of that was enough to detract from how delightful these characters were separately and together or how much I enjoyed their HEA. Fans of Riley will no doubt love this, and anyone who enjoys a good romance will be happy with what they find here. 4 stars.
September 4, 2021
Fiona Riley’s High Stakes Romance series is lovely and I am very happy we finally got to read Ellison’s story!
Ellison is the owner of the company all the other mains from the series work for and she is just a caring and cool character. As Riley said in the acknowledgments this is a bit more of a personal story as Ellison’s story resembles her struggles to become a mother and I think it shows that this is a more personal storyline. When Ellison first meets Katie she can't help but flirt but Karie is a tad unaware or even oblivious to the possibility of this awesome woman showing any interest in her. Not that she has any interest because for all she knows she's straight. It's cute how their relationship grows from some chance encounters where Ellison is so friendly and caring how can one not fall for her? And her boss bitch vibe? Makes it even better. Katie is equally caring but a bit lost with all that is going on in her life. That is until she has her self-professed gay awakening. All seems to be so nice and perfect.
I do understand some of Katie’s insecurities and general feelings of not belonging in Ellison’s world. And her slight jealousy towards Faith, I'm there 100%. I wouldn't say I'm a jealous person but that wouldn't be good for my mental state. My girlfriend being best friends with occasional benefits with her ex, that’s a lot...
Overall I'm glad Ellison got her sweet romance because she is the best character and I enjoy the doses we get of Trina, Lauren and Jax, it's an amazing team of friends and colleagues.
For me, it's a toss-up between this book and Bet Against Me for best in the series and I think Bet Against Me wins out for me because there is more banter and no kid focus. I understand that for some this might be a storyline they enjoy and identify with, but for someone like me with 0 interest in raising tiny humans, it isn't as interesting. I do still love this book and the characters, enjoy the banter, it's fun but has storyline I don't necessarily connect with.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
Ellison is the owner of the company all the other mains from the series work for and she is just a caring and cool character. As Riley said in the acknowledgments this is a bit more of a personal story as Ellison’s story resembles her struggles to become a mother and I think it shows that this is a more personal storyline. When Ellison first meets Katie she can't help but flirt but Karie is a tad unaware or even oblivious to the possibility of this awesome woman showing any interest in her. Not that she has any interest because for all she knows she's straight. It's cute how their relationship grows from some chance encounters where Ellison is so friendly and caring how can one not fall for her? And her boss bitch vibe? Makes it even better. Katie is equally caring but a bit lost with all that is going on in her life. That is until she has her self-professed gay awakening. All seems to be so nice and perfect.
I do understand some of Katie’s insecurities and general feelings of not belonging in Ellison’s world. And her slight jealousy towards Faith, I'm there 100%. I wouldn't say I'm a jealous person but that wouldn't be good for my mental state. My girlfriend being best friends with occasional benefits with her ex, that’s a lot...
Overall I'm glad Ellison got her sweet romance because she is the best character and I enjoy the doses we get of Trina, Lauren and Jax, it's an amazing team of friends and colleagues.
For me, it's a toss-up between this book and Bet Against Me for best in the series and I think Bet Against Me wins out for me because there is more banter and no kid focus. I understand that for some this might be a storyline they enjoy and identify with, but for someone like me with 0 interest in raising tiny humans, it isn't as interesting. I do still love this book and the characters, enjoy the banter, it's fun but has storyline I don't necessarily connect with.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
July 21, 2022
I absolutely loved this series.
Beginners bet was a solid 5 stars until the 85% mark.
For me the conflict didn’t work well. It felt rushed & blown out of proportion.
Epilogue was cute but I was left needing more.
Still would definitely recommend this series and can’t wait to read more by Riley.
Beginners bet was a solid 5 stars until the 85% mark.
For me the conflict didn’t work well. It felt rushed & blown out of proportion.
Epilogue was cute but I was left needing more.
Still would definitely recommend this series and can’t wait to read more by Riley.
August 29, 2021
Riley has hit another home run with her third novel in her High Stakes series. We finally get to know Ellison Gamble, the sort of matriarch of the series. (And it is now just occurring to me that her last name is Gamble and the titles are all about bets… wow! I guess I never claimed to be clever nor observant.) Ellison is a competent, strong, successful woman. She is such an amazing character who is hard not to admire and we are finally invited to really understand what makes her tick.
Katie is struggling to get her footing in life. When she meets Ellison she is trying to find a balance between her job, her ailing mother and a house that has become “an albatross.” The two connect and easily become good friendship which quickly evolves into much more. They are clearly well matched with a really healthy dose of trust and mutual support and easily help each other navigate life’s challenges.
My only one critique would be with the quick, and seemingly out of nowhere conflict. This book was so easy with a solid relationship progression right up until the climax where Katie becomes overwhelmed and just, kind of, falls apart. It seems to develop almost out of no where and a bit of an overreaction. She is so happy in content in her new world, her problems solved, but doesn’t seem to have a spare thought for the future. When she is questioned about next steps, she just falls off the wagon within less than 24 hours. It doesn’t make sense to me. People, by nature, tend to consider their futures, so how can someone be so surprised and shocked when checked with a dose of reality? But maybe that’s just me.
Also, and this has nothing to do with anything, but the use of the word tissue as a synonym for skin makes me cringe a bit. It’s makes me think of blood and guts, not something soft and touchable.
Katie is struggling to get her footing in life. When she meets Ellison she is trying to find a balance between her job, her ailing mother and a house that has become “an albatross.” The two connect and easily become good friendship which quickly evolves into much more. They are clearly well matched with a really healthy dose of trust and mutual support and easily help each other navigate life’s challenges.
My only one critique would be with the quick, and seemingly out of nowhere conflict. This book was so easy with a solid relationship progression right up until the climax where Katie becomes overwhelmed and just, kind of, falls apart. It seems to develop almost out of no where and a bit of an overreaction. She is so happy in content in her new world, her problems solved, but doesn’t seem to have a spare thought for the future. When she is questioned about next steps, she just falls off the wagon within less than 24 hours. It doesn’t make sense to me. People, by nature, tend to consider their futures, so how can someone be so surprised and shocked when checked with a dose of reality? But maybe that’s just me.
Also, and this has nothing to do with anything, but the use of the word tissue as a synonym for skin makes me cringe a bit. It’s makes me think of blood and guts, not something soft and touchable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2021
Audible book. Listened on a long car ride. Was the perfect companion. Loved the series. Wonder if Jax will get a story?
September 12, 2021
I love this book! I love most of Fiona Riley books though. I didn’t like book 2 in this series that much, but this one is a jackpot again. Maybe even a tiny bit better than book 1.
I hope there will be a novella or something about Jax and Thalia. And I am also intrigued by Faith.
I hope there will be a novella or something about Jax and Thalia. And I am also intrigued by Faith.
July 18, 2022
4.5 stars
Oh, Ellison. Your book was worth the wait.
Everything you think Ellison Gamble is going to be after getting intriguing glimpses of her in the first two volumes of the High Stakes series is true, and then some. She's not only the head (and hammer, when necessary) of her mega successful real estate firm, but also the heart. I was very ready for her to have her own happy ending.
The author's introduction to the book is moving and I wasn't aware of Riley's personal struggles and why she chose the path for Ellison that she did. I also didn't see an opposites attract/age gap/toaster oven thing in Ellison's future either, so that was a pleasant surprise. Massage Therapist Katie Crawford is a character worthy of Ellison's affection and while she is not without her struggles and insecurities, she's an excellent compliment to her. There was a moment at about the 90 percent mark where Katie frustrated me, especially considering how open Ellison had been about where she was in her life and what her immediate goals were, but we'll have to chalk that up to fear/temporary insanity.
While I think Bet the Farm was probably my favorite of the three books in the series, I loved them all and sure wouldn't mind a fourth featuring Jax. Others have mentioned there's a novella coming featuring their story, perhaps? I certainly hope so because I'm not ready to let these characters go!
Oh, Ellison. Your book was worth the wait.
Everything you think Ellison Gamble is going to be after getting intriguing glimpses of her in the first two volumes of the High Stakes series is true, and then some. She's not only the head (and hammer, when necessary) of her mega successful real estate firm, but also the heart. I was very ready for her to have her own happy ending.
The author's introduction to the book is moving and I wasn't aware of Riley's personal struggles and why she chose the path for Ellison that she did. I also didn't see an opposites attract/age gap/toaster oven thing in Ellison's future either, so that was a pleasant surprise. Massage Therapist Katie Crawford is a character worthy of Ellison's affection and while she is not without her struggles and insecurities, she's an excellent compliment to her. There was a moment at about the 90 percent mark where Katie frustrated me, especially considering how open Ellison had been about where she was in her life and what her immediate goals were, but we'll have to chalk that up to fear/temporary insanity.
While I think Bet the Farm was probably my favorite of the three books in the series, I loved them all and sure wouldn't mind a fourth featuring Jax. Others have mentioned there's a novella coming featuring their story, perhaps? I certainly hope so because I'm not ready to let these characters go!
August 12, 2021
This is by far the best book I've read this year so far, hands down! I don't know how Fiona Riley does it, but I never read "just a ok" book by her. She's become my favorite dialogue writer and my Top 5 lesbian fiction author.
Ellison is such a great character, amazingly written! If that woman was real, I'm sure every single woman would have a seriously deep crush on her! Now, include a beautiful, smart redhead, with amazing green eyes in the story, you get dazzling sparkles flying everywhere!
I read this ARC in one take, because once I started reading those effortlessly written dialogues, I couldn't put the book down.
Pure, bright, huge 5 stars!!!
Ellison is such a great character, amazingly written! If that woman was real, I'm sure every single woman would have a seriously deep crush on her! Now, include a beautiful, smart redhead, with amazing green eyes in the story, you get dazzling sparkles flying everywhere!
I read this ARC in one take, because once I started reading those effortlessly written dialogues, I couldn't put the book down.
Pure, bright, huge 5 stars!!!
September 1, 2021
Oh, Ellison *swoon*
How can a character be so perfect but also feel so real?! You'd think it wasn't possible if it weren't for Ellison Gamble.
I adored the way she first interacted with Katie. She’s so, so kind but also playful and honest. It’s absolutely riveting when a character seems so earnest with their interactions with others. Ellison felt like this, not only with Katie, but also with her colleagues and friends. It was lovely to read and feel apart of those interactions.
I really enjoyed this novel for its characters. Ellison and Katie were great love interests and I was completely backing them from start to finish. I loved Ellison's work colleagues and friends who seemed quite well-rounded for secondary characters. I'm also saying this as someone who hasn't read the previous novels in the series, which featured two of these friends. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of this novel.
I'd be remiss if I didn't say that there were aspects that I didn't quite like in this novel (for example, the sudden change in relationship as well as the conflict at the 85% mark that felt a bit too scripted for my liking) but overall I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Katie and Ellison.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
How can a character be so perfect but also feel so real?! You'd think it wasn't possible if it weren't for Ellison Gamble.
I adored the way she first interacted with Katie. She’s so, so kind but also playful and honest. It’s absolutely riveting when a character seems so earnest with their interactions with others. Ellison felt like this, not only with Katie, but also with her colleagues and friends. It was lovely to read and feel apart of those interactions.
I really enjoyed this novel for its characters. Ellison and Katie were great love interests and I was completely backing them from start to finish. I loved Ellison's work colleagues and friends who seemed quite well-rounded for secondary characters. I'm also saying this as someone who hasn't read the previous novels in the series, which featured two of these friends. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of this novel.
I'd be remiss if I didn't say that there were aspects that I didn't quite like in this novel (for example, the sudden change in relationship as well as the conflict at the 85% mark that felt a bit too scripted for my liking) but overall I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Katie and Ellison.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
Ellison is always my favorite character in High Stakes’s series. I’m so glad she has her own story, and now Beginner’s Bet is my favorite book in the series(probably is because of the age gap trope.) I really enjoy reading it!
January 17, 2022
Enjoyed, but all a bit "fairy tale" for me. Didn't quite buy into the 2 main characters but loved remeeting the characters from Book 1.
August 31, 2021
Beginner’s Bet is the third book in the High Stakes Romances. This is the first book I have read in this series and Fiona Riley made it easy to catch up with the characters from the previous two novels.
Ellison Gamble owns a high end real estate and development company. She is a self made women, divorced and trying desperately to become pregnant. Katie Crawford, a message therapist, dropped her life and dreams three years ago after her mother was in a serious car accident and required her constant care for any chance of recovery. As her mother’s health and independence declined even more so after a stroke, Katie made the tough and costly decision to place her mom in a rehabilitation center. Yet even with working double shifts her money will run out in a few months. She has no idea what she will do at that time for herself or her mother.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. It is well written with humorous dialogue and a depth of character I constantly look for from writers. As well, it is about mature women dealing with hard knocks that life tends to throw no matter your economic stature. After the first few chapters I thought I knew where the storyline was going and was pleasantly surprised that my assumptions were incorrect. The love story read as genuine with the two women meeting on the worst day of both their lives.
If you are a reader who tends to skip the Acknowledgments I will strongly suggest to take the time to read them in this novel. Having the author share the reality of her life struggles shines an intimate light on the story. It undeniably made this story genuine and a must read.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
Ellison Gamble owns a high end real estate and development company. She is a self made women, divorced and trying desperately to become pregnant. Katie Crawford, a message therapist, dropped her life and dreams three years ago after her mother was in a serious car accident and required her constant care for any chance of recovery. As her mother’s health and independence declined even more so after a stroke, Katie made the tough and costly decision to place her mom in a rehabilitation center. Yet even with working double shifts her money will run out in a few months. She has no idea what she will do at that time for herself or her mother.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. It is well written with humorous dialogue and a depth of character I constantly look for from writers. As well, it is about mature women dealing with hard knocks that life tends to throw no matter your economic stature. After the first few chapters I thought I knew where the storyline was going and was pleasantly surprised that my assumptions were incorrect. The love story read as genuine with the two women meeting on the worst day of both their lives.
If you are a reader who tends to skip the Acknowledgments I will strongly suggest to take the time to read them in this novel. Having the author share the reality of her life struggles shines an intimate light on the story. It undeniably made this story genuine and a must read.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
October 10, 2021
"This book personifies how people should fall in love,how love works,finding your person that fits in your life,that compliment that life" Ellison is boss bitch and successful as fuck but she is beautiful,patient ,kind and generous and Katie was that person for her,this was also a age gap romance but the writer didn't dwell much on it .I just love it when a book end game is FAMILY and this didn't dissapoint..lovely character and amazing writing
October 30, 2021
Well, well well. I am really really glad that Ellison got her story. Since book 1 of this series, I have been quietly waiting for the owner of the best real estate firm in Boston to open up and find love. And did she really open up! I kinda thought she was going to get with her good friend and occasional friends with benefits and would have loved that. I did really like Katie for her. Both women are hard working and even though Ellison has way more money and older, I felt like Katie held her own and was on equal footing. I remember reading book 1 of these series and was thinking about not reading the rest of the series. I just did not like Trina. Book 2 was way better for me and I even started liking Trina better. Beginner's Bet is by far the best for me. Both mains are super likable and super cute together. They have amazing chemistry and are just freaking HAWT together. I am not sure if there are plans for book 4 in this series with trans character (I can't remember his name), but would love to see him find love in a book 4. I am going to rate this one 5 stars because I just loved Ellison and Katie so much.
This arc was provided by net galley and the publisher for an honest review.
This arc was provided by net galley and the publisher for an honest review.
October 15, 2021
It is a blazing steamy romance with a fire to develop the story!
The book is the follow-up of the previous ones, which I have not read. The plot is focused on two main characters, Ellison and Katie. The real diamond here is Ellison. She is the kind of character to be admired as a whole. A perfect match, as she is well-off, smart, attractive, fun, and caring.
However, Katie is a person who I might relate to more. Having a difficult financial situation because of family obligations, her struggles touch the reader’s heart more. Due to very well-written Riley’s descriptions, I can almost physically feel Katie’s pain when there are so many obstacles and no perspective to change it.
The combination of an incredibly pleasant romance and broad, witty language (5 stars) makes it an incredibly enjoyable read. All in all, one star was cut because I would prefer a different solution to what Ellison is trying so hard to achieve.
The book is the follow-up of the previous ones, which I have not read. The plot is focused on two main characters, Ellison and Katie. The real diamond here is Ellison. She is the kind of character to be admired as a whole. A perfect match, as she is well-off, smart, attractive, fun, and caring.
However, Katie is a person who I might relate to more. Having a difficult financial situation because of family obligations, her struggles touch the reader’s heart more. Due to very well-written Riley’s descriptions, I can almost physically feel Katie’s pain when there are so many obstacles and no perspective to change it.
The combination of an incredibly pleasant romance and broad, witty language (5 stars) makes it an incredibly enjoyable read. All in all, one star was cut because I would prefer a different solution to what Ellison is trying so hard to achieve.
September 1, 2022
Loved this one. Easily one of my favorite romantic reads this year. That’s it. Now go read it.
September 18, 2021
And you win, a toaster oven. What a fun contemporary romance. Two vibrant and very likeable main characters that have definite chemistry that grows as they interact with each other. There is an age gap and a financial disparity that causes some conflict. The sex scenes are hot. Since all three novels are set around the real estate agency, the reader reconnects with Jax, Trina, and Lauren. I also appreciated Katie's friend Shaina. What an awesome group of friends. Ellison is a wonderful boss, friend and partner. Katie is dealing with the changes in her life and for the most part, navigates them well. After this read, I think about identity, relationships, and going after what you want.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley
September 8, 2021
The High Stakes Romances have been such a fun series, and what a way to finish it off! This is an age gap, rich/poor romance with two extremely compelling characters. Even though it was a fairly long book, I could barely put it down; I was that invested especially in Ellison.
In addition to being a great story overall, this is Fiona Riley's best work as an author. The dialogue was perfectly appropriate without being cutesy. One of my pet peeves as a reader is when the dialogue feels like a Friends script. This is not that. It was clever and fun without being over the top.
I concur with every reader who says this will be among the favorite books of 2021.
In addition to being a great story overall, this is Fiona Riley's best work as an author. The dialogue was perfectly appropriate without being cutesy. One of my pet peeves as a reader is when the dialogue feels like a Friends script. This is not that. It was clever and fun without being over the top.
I concur with every reader who says this will be among the favorite books of 2021.
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